Let’s talk about Tone!

Tone is how a movie feels. Is it serious? Funny? Scary? Or sappy as hell? Typically a film should establish its tone in the first 5 minutes or so.

Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame gets a lot of criticism for having a confused tone.  It does have fart jokes mixed into a story that features Lust, Murder, Corruption and Genocide. But is the tone actually confused? No, the film presents the tone in the first five minutes, it’s an animated drama with bursts of levity mixed with darker elements.

Clopin with Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Clopin with Puppet Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

In the first five minutes we’re are introduced to Clopin, who while singing “The Bells of Notre Dame” is performing a puppet show and making jokes to children. So while Bells of Notre Dame does have some dark imagery, the humor was already established in the core narrative before the darker notes were introduced.

 

Also, it’s is important to think about the gradation of tone throughout the film. The film doesn’t go from farts joke to Frollo’s insane lust. The movie allows the tone build up to either a dark place or silly tone and then back again.

 

Frollo burns the Mill, Disney Hunchback  of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo burns the Mill, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

For example, Frollo goes into his more severe method for hunting Esmeralda following Hellfire, this includes his burning the miller’s house and the attempt to kill Phoebus. These scenes with their darker tone shift when the film moves back to Quasimodo and the gargoyles.

Victor and Laverne worried, Disney Hunchback  of Notre Dame picture image

Victor and Laverne worried, Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

If the tone was confused the gargoyles would have make fart-like jokes following this shift in focuses of characters but instead they worry about Esmeralda and from there the jokes get progressively lighter and sillier, up till “a guy like you” ends. This shows the film  has a handle of the different tones in its narrative.

 

Perhaps my years of watching Bollywood and anime has allowed me to see that multiple tones can coexist in a drama-driven story as long of the tone has gradations to its tonal shifts.

Non-Disney Heroines; Thumblina, Yum-Yum,Odette, Chel, & Anastasia Picture image

Thumblina, Yum-Yum,Odette, Chel, & Anastasia

For every Disney Heroine, there is a host of Non-Disney animated female characters. From Thumblina, to Princess Yum-Yum to Odette to Chel to Anastasia the list goes on. But of the myriad of Non-Disney Heroines who could be considered Esmeralda’s counterpart?

 

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Disney Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame dancing

It’s a tricky question. First off you need someone who has an equivalent look to Esmeralda i.e. a darker look but someone who isn’t royalty. Next, you need someone who fits her personality, brave, loyal, feisty, mature, and has a social conscious. That narrows the field a bit.

Given the necessary qualifications, I think the only choice for Esmeralda’s Non-Dinsey counterpart is …..

Tzipporah from The Prince of Egypt.

Tzipporah, The Prince of Egypt picture image

Tzipporah, The Prince of Egypt

Tzipporah start hating Moses as she was kidnapped and given Ramses. She is called a “Desert Flower” which plays in her being exotic. She is also played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who much like Demi Moore was considered a seductive actress.

 

A Lovely Shot from The Prince of Egypt , picture image

A Lovely Shot from The Prince of Egypt

Also Hunchback and The Prince of Egypt  are bit similar in their own right. Both movies are very stunning gorgeous, have a lot of drama and are underrated. I would highly recommend The Prince of Egypt  if you haven’t seen it already.

Seeing how this is the month of frights and ghoulish delights, I thought we would look at a true American horror depiction of Quasimodo. I course mean the season 1 episode 8 episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog entitled “The Hunchback of Nowhere.” Courage the Cowardly Dog, is an comedy horror cartoon that aired on Cartoon Network.

Courage the Cowardly Dog picture image

Courage the Cowardly Dog

It’s about a dog named Courage who lives Eustace and Muriel Bagge, an elderly couple who in Nowhere. The show revolves around them getting into bizarre paranormal and supernatural misadventures. Courage is overly frighted, Eustace is mean and selfish and usually mocks Courage while Muriel is sweet and kind.

So let’s not waste this glorious month, let’s just drive into the plot now.

Quasimodo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere picture image

Quasimodo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

It’s starts on a dark and stormy night as an ugly Hunchback, i.e Quasimodo, looks for a place to stay but is continuously rejected because of his appearance. He reaches Courage’s house and Eustace, in his normal fashion, callously turns him away. Courage however feels for the lonely Hunchback. Eustace then orders Courage to fetch his raincoat which is in the barn. Courage ventures to the barn where he hears bells.

Courage, Quasimodo & the handbells, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere picture image

Courage, Quasimodo & the handbells, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

 

As it turns out, Quasimodo has taken refuge in the barn and has set up an array handbells. Courage and Quasimodo quickly become friends. Their merriment is interrupted when Eustace comes into the barn and demands his raincoat. Eustace then harasses and scares Courage with scary eyes. After Eustace leaves Quasimodo cheers Courage up with some impressive shadow puppets.

Quasimodo reading an insult,  Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere picture image

Quasimodo reading an insult, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

The next dog Courage invites Quasimodo into the house. Muriel is welcoming to a friend of Courage but when Eustace finds Quasimodo, he orders him to leave but is overruled by Muriel. Eustace proceeds to insult Quasimodo’s ugliness. Courage however feeds Quasimodo insults targeting Eustace’s baldness. Muriel then sends Eustace to eat in hen house since he being inhospitable to a guest.

Quasimodo wearing a Eustace mask, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere picture image

Quasimodo wearing a Eustace mask, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

Later, Eustace is demanding dinner and finds Muriel watching a handbell concert performed by Quasimodo and Courage on the roof of the barn. Eustace becomes enrages when he sees Quasimodo wearing his precious raincoat. Quasimodo takes it off and Eustace orders Quasimodo to leave. As Quasimodo leaves, Eustace calls Courage stupid and scares him with the scary eyes again. Quasimodo then stands up to Eustace and shows him the true face of ugliness, a mask of Eustace. Eustace becomes so terrified that he falls off the roof but is fine.

Quasimodo and Courage playing bells, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere picture image

Quasimodo and Courage playing bells, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

After the rain passes, Quasimodo decides to leave. Courage pulls out a handbell and Quasimodo pulls out a cathedral-size bell and then two have a laugh. Quasimodo thanks Courage and Muriel for their kindness and hope he find people like them out there.

Next time- Quasimodo’s Depiction

Quasimodo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere picture image

Quasimodo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Hunchback of Nowhere

Disney Esmeralda is a great choice for a Halloween costume for few Good Reasons;

Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney

Esmeralda

 

1) As a Disney Character, she is very recognizable!

2)  It’s made of 4 pieces of clothing which are easy to buy VS some of the other Disney ladies who wear a single garment.

3) It’s sexy without being vulgar.

4) It looks of most body types.

5) Pending where you live, it’s good for fall weather.

6) It’s Fun and Flirty!

and

7) Esmeralda Rocks!!!!!!!!!

If you planning on Dressing up as Esmeralda you can go here to start your costume

And if you are dressing up as Esmeralda please send your photos and I will post them!

Which Disney Princess Matches Your Zodiac Sign? If you’re a Scorpio,rejoice you’re Esmeralda according to ChaCha.com.  here is the write up;

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Scorpio is known as The Fascinator, a secretive sign, like Esmerelda from ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’ You are passionate, emotional, loyal and determined, and you love solving puzzles! Silvermist from ‘Tinker Bell’ would also be a Scorpio.

 

You can find your Disney Princess Zodiac here;

Which Disney Princess Matches your Zodiac Sign

Which one Princess is your Zodiac? I got Cinderella

Sets of the 1982 Version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Sets of the 1982 Version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

There are two types of Hunchback movies; the ones that are well done but do not even pretend to follow the book and there are the types that follow the book but lack any sense of effort by the cast and the crew. The 1982 version however falls in between these types. It has a lot of weird flaws and does commit a major sin where Esmeralda is concerned but it feels like a genuine effort was put into this version.

So is the 1982 version good, adequate, or awful? I would venture to say it’s good, it’s not as great as it could have been but considering some of the other versions that exist this one is one of the better versions.

Next Hunchback version – I haven’t decided yet ^^”

 

Notre Dame, Paris, France - Matted Photo

Notre Dame, Paris, France – Matted Photo

It’s true that Notre Dame owes a lot of its cultural significance to Victor Hugo and his novel but Notre Dame didn’t just sit there and let Hugo’s imagination work with out her influence.

Anaykh craved on the wall, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Anaykh craved on the wall, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame

One story goes is that as Hugo was up in the towers of Notre Dame he came across a word craved on the wall. The Word was “Ananke.” Ananke is a noun that means “force, constraint, necessity” and is the personification of destiny, necessity and fate. Seeing this word craved on the wall made Hugo think about the person who wrote it. From this word Frollo was conceived, making him the first character for the novel. Ananke is also a major theme in the novel.

Quasimodo is crowned King of Fools (Charles Laughton) 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo is crowned King of Fools (Charles Laughton) 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame

Also while Hugo was exploring Notre Dame, the cathedral was going though repairs. One of the stoneworkers was a Hunchback who was also British. His name was Henry Sibson This suggests that Quasimodo was inspired  by Sibson.

You can get the  Print of Notre Dame by clicking here!

The time has come to ask a very, very serious question, If the Hunchback Characters were whales what species would they be?

 

 

Humpback Whale picture image

Humpback Whale

Quasimodo – Humpback Whale (naturally)

 

Beluga Whale picture image

Beluga Whale

Esmeralda – Beluga Whale (They are just so pretty)

 

Right Whale picture image

Right Whale

Frollo – Right Whale (Sometimes called a Black Whale)

 

Gray Whale picture image

Gray Whale

Gringoire – Gray Whale

 

Narwhal picture image

Narwhal

Phoebus – Narwhal

 

Blue Whale picture image

Blue Whale

Clopin – Blue Whale

 

True Beaked Whale by Bill Curtsinger picture image

True Beaked Whale by Bill Curtsinger

Fleur-de-Lys – True Beaked Whale

 

Sei Whale by Peter Duley picture image

Sei Whale by Peter Duley

Jehan – Sei Whale

 

Bowhead Whale picture image

Bowhead Whale

Sister Gudule – Bowhead Whale (This spices can live so long that some remember Whaling, so the have a good memory)

 

Dwarf Sperm Whale by Robert Pitman picture image

Dwarf Sperm Whale by Robert Pitman

Djali – Dwarf Sperm Whale

 

 

Yay for Singapore. I love how these promos show two casts and have Celine Doin singing and yet only one person is in fact in said performance.  And yes, I’m bitter that the Asian Continent gets yet another performance and yet my side of the World goes wanting.

Anyway it starts December 17th and goes to 29th. If anyone goes send me a program as a Christmas present ^_~.

Go here for more info